PREVIEW: Stormwatch #5

Stormwatch has been a series of so much potential and it feels like it’s always been at the cusp of realizing that potential… but never quite getting there. And with Paul Cornell off of writing duties after the sixth issue, chances are it never will. At least there are two more issues to look forward to.

Written by PAUL CORNELL
Art and cover by MIGUEL SEPULVEDA
Variant cover by MIGUEL SEPULVEDA

It’s the unstoppable murder machine vs. the Eminence of Blades when the Midnighter takes on Prince of Lies, Harry Tanner!

As Adam One stands trial before the shadow cabinet, Stormwatch loses two members, and the mystery horn from SUPERMAN #1 reappears to deliver a final page that will change Stormwatch forever!

While I am very depressed by the upcoming change, judging from his interviews Paul Cornell sounds like a stand-up gentleman. I hope its not due to disagreements/bad blood among creators. I’m sure we’re all scratching our heads since those who know are being so silent about it (then again maybe I’m the only one scratching my head).

Well they have Paul Jenkins filling 2 issues. He’s a great writer when he gets a good fit. And Stormwatch kinda seems like a good fit for him. It kinda reminds me of Inhumans (which he wrote in the 90′s).

Ya it seems like Jenkins is a whipping boy on this site for some reason…. but i read plenty of good Jenkins stuff back in the day. Ive got respect for him. Disappointed that Cornell is out though.. im loving it so far. Looking forward now to Saucer County though.

I hope the reason is that Paul Cornell is going to be put on a bigger DC title, and not because of some sort of creative disagreement or whatever. While people seem to like Stormwatch and Demon Knights, I really got the feeling that Cornell was not being used to his full potential in this new DC relaunch.

In the last podcast I heard Cornell on (I think it was Word Balloon), he made it sound like whoever takes over Stormwatch will be working from the blueprint Cornell developed for DC. So even though he isn’t scripting, we won’t be seeing a radical departure from the original plan.

For what it’s worth, Stormwatch has been a book that hasn’t totally hooked me month-in and month-out, but hung together nicely when I re-read all four issues back-to-back recently. I’m gonna ride this one out and see where it goes.

Stormwatch has been a good read month to month but it benefits more from multiple issue consumption. If. what Ken tells us is true, and Paul Jenkins is following a script from Cornell, then the series’ readers would benefit from that being known. Nothing hurts a book more than not knowing the direction it will take once a new writer grabs the reigns. Here’s to hoping we see Adam One again…he deserves to be more fleshed out, especially after his “cameo” in Demon Knights!

I really find DC’s shifting talent after the 1st story arc annoying on the books that are good, then on the other hand titles like Green Arrow and Firestorm need it but don’t try and fix what isn’t broken, and this title is one of em.IMO.